IrieCat

CONFESSION TIME,

I did it again. I had a TWIX candy bar, but it was the miniatures, but I had 3 of them. Plus I had some chicken wings in MOMBO sauce (killer) with fries. I just had to have it. I've not had chicken in MOMBO sauce in 8 months. I feel better now.

I used to live in DC and boy I like the Mambo sauce too ... no more ever for me now... Unless they start make some fake chicken!!! :-) I will be in DC in a few weeks.. I will stay away from the chicken places but there is a Jamaican place near my friend's apartment that makes a good veg dish... MMMMMM can't wait! LOL

Hi!

I had:

passport stamps

Plane ticket receipt

pictures of us in St Lucia, including my daughter and SO

Receipt from apartment

Receipt from daughter's school

HUGE phone bills

Phone card receipts

Oh and a copy of my St Lucia driver's license

I have a positive outlook on this but also am thinking I will get an RFE for something. I cut off International calling from my phone (bill was out of control!) so for future proof I have set him up with an e-mail account and we have written each other a few letters. I only use a calling card now so it is hard to say who I am calling only that I am using the card. We wrote each other letters 2 weeks ago and neither have received.. St Lucian mail is iffy! :-)

I guess if I dont have enough proof of relationship both my mom, aunt and his mother and friends will write affidavits. It will just set us back a week or so. In the long run the week or too will be nothing.

Good luck and speedy NOA2s to all!!

:-)

Irie Irie Irie

Cat

Have you tried using Skype? They kept the history of calls and SMS. Or have you tried using Gmail talk? Like Skype, they also archieved all the conversations.

I have Skype and use it daily for work etc... I telework. However. the only place Louis can use e-mail is at work. His home doesn't even have running water and electricity isn't reliable. :-) He wouldn't be able to use all the "extras" at work. I am lucky if I get a couple e-mails a week from him. We talk on the phone about 3 times a day though - I just need the "paper" for proof. I am sure it will all be fine though.

Oh and trying to teach him how to use e-mail over the phone - hahaha! That was funny! Poor guy! He can't wait to get here and take some computer classes - he knows you have to have that skill here in the US.

Sorry guys.. sometimes my obsession gets the best of me.. forgive me, I'm an engineer so I had to crunch some numbers..

Mind you this, this data is ONLY from visajourney database.....and ONLY for Vermont Service Center

On VJ, 70 applicants have applied for K1, of those 70, 25 have reported receiving their NOA2. The last shown date was someone who filed 10/23/07..

With this in mind, there were 38 November filers, 38 December filers, and 46 January filers...

Hopefully logic will hold and there were less applications in November and December and we can move on rather quickly!

Hey thats great! We can all keep are fingers crossed! :-)

Hi!

I had:

passport stamps

Plane ticket receipt

pictures of us in St Lucia, including my daughter and SO

Receipt from apartment

Receipt from daughter's school

HUGE phone bills

Phone card receipts

Oh and a copy of my St Lucia driver's license

I have a positive outlook on this but also am thinking I will get an RFE for something. I cut off International calling from my phone (bill was out of control!) so for future proof I have set him up with an e-mail account and we have written each other a few letters. I only use a calling card now so it is hard to say who I am calling only that I am using the card. We wrote each other letters 2 weeks ago and neither have received.. St Lucian mail is iffy! :-)

I guess if I dont have enough proof of relationship both my mom, aunt and his mother and friends will write affidavits. It will just set us back a week or so. In the long run the week or too will be nothing.

Good luck and speedy NOA2s to all!!

:-)

Irie Irie Irie

Cat

Susie - I think the date on the notice is what you use (at least that is what I would use). Now for good news...I called the 1800 to check the status of my money order this morning...

"Money order Rxxxxx was presented for payment on January 30, 2008." YAY! Come on NOA1...get here already!

hey! Congrats! Bet you will have a great day now... I am sure it will come in the mail today!!

:-)

Cat

**********WEDNESDAY CHUCKLE**********

GOOOOOOD MAWNING FAM!!!

HAPPY HUMP DAY YA'LL!!!! ...two fi guh!

Congratulations are in store for our Sistren, Gwen (Stefani) han har husband Gavin expecting their second child! I don't know why, but mi jus LOVE har!! She is so into Jamaica too!!

Irie Cat this one is for you!!

HAVE A GREAT DAY ALL!!!! MAKE IT A GOOD ONE!!

Bless-ed,

Gill

*******************************************************************

A St Lucian Fireman

A St Lucian fireman came home from work one day and said to his wife “y”know sumthing, we have a wonderful new system at de fire station…

Bell 1 rings - we put on our jackets

Bell 2 rings - we slide down de pole

Bell 3 rings - we jump on de engine and we’s ready to go

From now on when I says “Bell One” me want you to strip naked. When I says “Bell two” you jump on de bed. When I says “Bell three” we’s gonna make love all tru de night.

The next night he came home and shouted Bell one and she stripped naked Bell two and she jumped on the bed Bell three and they started to make love.

After a few minutes the wife yelled out Bell four!

An what de hell is bell four? The fireman yelled. She replied “Roll out more hose man, roll out more hose. You aint nowhere near de fire!”

HAHAHA!! I have a very good friend that is a Lucian Fireman!!!

Thanks!

Cat

I don't know, but why do some people feel that breastfeeding is digusting. I loved it. The milk was always the right temperature and I didn't have to do a thing, but WIPE it out. I fed my son anywhere. If I was in public you could not tell I was nursing. It just looked like he was asleep. I also nursed for 5 months until his top and bottom teeth come in. He had 4 teeth at 5 months. After the first bite it was okay, but the next one mi nearli dead. My mom said I would get use to it, but HECK no...that hurt too much. So, I had a large supply of frozen breast milk and I mixed it with formula. My son had no problems with the combination. I had enough frozen milk to last. My son is a soy baby, and SOY FORMULA is not cheap. For some reason he can't do anything milk or dairy base. He turns RED. So, he's 4 now and slim. My next challenge now is to get him to eat YANKEE food. He starts school in September and he won't eat things that other kids eat. He won't eat bread, cookies, cake, candy...he does not drink soda (glad for that). At his birthday parties he's never eaten his cake. I thought something was wrong with him because he would not eat sweets. He always said yuck. But the doctors say that's fine. When he was a baby he was so FAT and I loved it. But the doctors gave me a hard time saying I was feeding him too much. At that time, he was only getting breastmilk. He started walking at 7 months, so he thined out very quickly and at his 12 month visit they told me he needed to gain weight...u know I was PISSED. My mom told me to pay them no mind.

You know I couldn't beleive a woman, another mother, would think it was bad! It blew my mind. Being 500 miles away from my own mom was hard, she would try to support me but with the jerk around I was stressed. I know with my fiance now, when we plan on a child it will be so different. A more happy, loving situation. I think my daughter's father was (and is) just insecure.

Can anyone suggest a decently priced all-inclusive or hotel with some amenities in Ocho Rios? Someone is asking me and I've never stayed in Ochi. Just visited.

Is 'Rooms' All inclusive? If not Club Ambiance is...It's not in Ochie...but in Runaway Bay...not too far. Does she have kids?

Ken just told me that his hotel was sold in Mobay...The Holiday Inn is now owned by Sunset! Which sucks cause Holiday Inn had the BEST all inclusive prices!!

Gill

P.S.- This is why I miss Luvtravlin...she was good when it came to stuff like that...where to go for a good price!

Sunset Jamaica Grande has some good deals, and they are in a great location. Right next to Rooms.

Gill dis good cause Kimora can start school at 4...or mi can put her inna one catalic school when she turn 3 until she 4 it is less money dam blastes daycare weh dem nah teach nuttin...

True ting DAT Sis!!! Bwoy, mi put my boys in one Prep School owned by a former headmistress from JA. That school was NO JOKE!! They wore uniforms (I'm sorry mi love uniforms) and by the time they reached Kindergarten and could go to schools in my district they wer so far ahead!!

Gill

Public schools here have uniforms. Some cities high schools dont but many do.

Tierra went to school in St Lucia and I loved the uniforms. A lady made them for me and it was so easy ... I wish they would have them here in Maine. That would save some $$ !!!

Hey Kimmy and all,

What a lot of women (men too) don't know is, if you live in the US (well, I'll swear for MD and DC) FMLA will protect your job for 3 months in Maryland and 4 months in DC. I don't get maternity leave either, but I save up my sick and vacation time. I think you have to work for a copy with over 50 employees and have been there a year, mi caan memba,but a sinting like that. They were pissed that I took the full 4 MONTHS, but I don't care. You're only a mommy for the FIRST time once. I don't know if I'll have anymore children, so, I wanted to spend as much time with my son as possible. Pluse I din't have to buy formula for my son until he reach 5 months old. While I was home I nursed him and pumped and stored my milk. I saved so much money, when I saw the cost of formula mi nearli dead.

So, Jengles, I feel you on that....I don't think any WOMAN should be rushed back to work after giving birth. Worse if a C-Section you get.

Funny you mention this cause I was just talking to my mom about formula and the prices. you know they lock it up in a cabinet at the grocery stores! Even in the back storage its locked up cause its so expensive and employees steal it.

Mi nah believe in formula or jar baby food. Mi neva waan fi tek ie wen mi was likkle eeidda. So mi juss give mi pickney deh breast and real veggies and fruits.

Well, what you forsee and what actually occurs is not always the same thing. I wanted to breast feed for the entire first year. However, work and other obligations came into play and that just didn't happen. Sometimes you don't have the luxury of not working, nor do you have the time to make your body cooperate as you intended. Baby formula fills the gap. It's not how I wanted it to happen, it just kind of flowed into what had to happen.

It's kind of the same thing as when I envisioned cloth diapers. Yah, that lasted a few months and then I could not handle the whole thing.

Sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do.

When I had Tierra I wanted to breast feed, but I was with her dad at the time and he was so against. his MOTHER said it was disgusting and he made me feel so bad. Said he couldn't participate in feeding her and I shouldnt do it. I tried and tried and nothing. It never happened. I feel bad about that but I definetly have a healthy 5 year old now! I also told myself she would never get McD's ... LOL! That didnt happen either. However Mc Donalds happens maybe 3 times a year. I bought baby food - but organic all natural and the food in the cupbards now reflects that same ideal. We have to work with what we have.

Oh and BTW, I only stayed with her father for about 6 weeks and I was OUTTA THERE!!! What an #$&hole!! :-) But that is just my opnion.

I really hope no matter who becomes President that Healthcare becomes a priority. I am a single mom of a 5 year old with no insurance for her. My company only pays 1/2 of mine - and it is awful coverage! To get insurance for my daughter would be $400 a month and I just can't afford that and the state of Maine says I make too much money for them to help me out! The only good thing is Maine pays for vaccinations for her. When insurance covers Viagra but not Birth control there is something wrong!!

5 years ago when I had Tierra it was so much better - my company paid 100% and I basically had her for free. I wonder what I will have to pay if I decide to have another child!!??

... don't even ask about her Dad - L-O-S-E-R!

Awww Tierra!! That is my nieces name. She looks EXACTLY like me too!

Her dad picked Tierra - she likes it because no one else has that name (at least around here)... it sure fits her! And if you call her "Tiara" she will quickly correct you!! LOL

The only problem is she gets so mad when stickers and key chains etc (like at giftshops) dont have her name on them!! :-)

AHHH just checked, and my check was finally cashed!!! SOOO happy, after all this hehehehe now what site do i sign up at to track it

hERE YOU GO! https://egov.uscis.gov/cris/caseStatusSearchDisplay.do

I really hope no matter who becomes President that Healthcare becomes a priority.

i hope so too....

i will probably be boring people with this info but....just to go to the hospital i will have to pay 1,000...that is just for the hospital.....then for the group that i am going through it is like 2,300...and that is for a natural birth if i need a c-section i can add on about 500 more....that doesn't include blood work, ultrasounds or any other test that i may need....looking at all these numbers just makes me crazy....

That is crazy and doesn't make sense. New york state has a medicaid program for pregnant women. Do a search on your state.

Irie cat - thanks for the link. Children should not be un-insured. I belive your state should have offered you a sliding scale based program for your daughter.

Gill - No problem anytime u want the soapbox - its yours for the taking. Just let me know and next time I wil dust it off for you.

I make too much for the sliding scale - beleive me I have tried everything! I have even had my Aunt, who runs her own business and helps her son with his look into insurance options for me. I have written the state twice and they just say I should be able to afford the $400 a month! I live in Maine and work in VA and have tried so many options. I just pray things will work out and my daughter wont break a bone (knock on wood)!!! Maine is too darn expensive - I will move south again one of these days.....

:-)

Cat

I really hope no matter who becomes President that Healthcare becomes a priority. I am a single mom of a 5 year old with no insurance for her. My company only pays 1/2 of mine - and it is awful coverage! To get insurance for my daughter would be $400 a month and I just can't afford that and the state of Maine says I make too much money for them to help me out! The only good thing is Maine pays for vaccinations for her. When insurance covers Viagra but not Birth control there is something wrong!!

5 years ago when I had Tierra it was so much better - my company paid 100% and I basically had her for free. I wonder what I will have to pay if I decide to have another child!!??

... don't even ask about her Dad - L-O-S-E-R!

this maybe a little late, but how do I vote, I've tried to register a numerous amount of times, but neve got my voter registratration card. Is it to late now?

Your in New York? Try here .... http://www.nyc.gov/html/vac/html/register/...r_to_vote.shtml

I know here in Maine you can register the same day as the election!

:-)

Cat

Hello Everyone ... January filer here! :-)

I have a question... I got my NOA1 last week and logged into the USCIS website. I signed up for the e-mail updates... Do they e-mail you when they touch it or do you just have to check the "last updated" date on the web? I got my NOA1 in the mail on Thursday but the "last updated" date is Friday but I didnt get an e-mail. Have I been touched? (that sounds so funny!) :-)

Thanks for the help!

Cat

Cat - It sounds like what you have described might be, in fact, a "touch". i don't think you get an email for "touches". Hopefully some of the more experienced VJers out there can confirm. I am glad to see it took you nearly 13 days to receive NOA1. I am still patiently waiting for mine (10 days and counting....) and my money order still has not been cashed. I was starting to wonder if something got lost. I guess I will save the panicking if I don't receive it this week.

Who else out there is still waiting on NOA1?

I was getting anxious about the NOA1 ... and it took a while for my check to go through as my account is at a little credit union in Maine and it takes forever for checks to get cashed, got the NOA1 in the mail the day after check showed cleared in my account.. Also I think MLK Day slowed things for a minute too! I am sure you will get yours anyday!! :-) VT is supposed to be good!

Thanks!!!

Cat

Hello Everyone ... January filer here! :-)

I have a question... I got my NOA1 last week and logged into the USCIS website. I signed up for the e-mail updates... Do they e-mail you when they touch it or do you just have to check the "last updated" date on the web? I got my NOA1 in the mail on Thursday but the "last updated" date is Friday but I didnt get an e-mail. Have I been touched? (that sounds so funny!) :-)

Thanks for the help!

Cat

Happy Monday Everyone...

I have a question for you all... I got my NOA1 last week and logged into the USCIS website. I signed up for the e-mail updates... Do they e-mail you when they touch it or do you just have to check the "last updated" date on the web? I got my NOA1 in the mail on Thursday but the "last updated" date is Friday but I didnt get an e-mail. Have I been touched? (that sounds so funny!) :-)

Thanks for the help!

Cat

I lost 2.6 lbs. this week!!!! I'm in my groove!!! Going to work out now...

Yeah!!!

LovinJA..down 2.6lbs

Sonshyne...down 2.5lbs...... 35lbs totals

Lurking...down 2lbs

Trelw..down 1.5lbs

Shamonya...down 1.5lbs

Mrs J. down 1lb... total 3lbs

Den down 1lb..total 6.4lbs

Yardi down .5lb..total of 3.2lbs

Ja Tam....lost wha 1-2 inches?

Irie cat...???

Clare down???, total of 9+lbs

12/11/06 down...??????

JesseG down.....???????

Marlita up???????

:-) I don't own a scale!! :-) But hey if pants dont get tighter I am happy! so far so good!!

good job everyone! I must say this keeps me inspired! Woohoo!!

So I am bored and in a pissy mood so I decide to get a bit of a JA fix and come across this site that has JA reviews...well it just made me in an even more pissy mood.

There was only a handful of "ok" posts in amongst numerous posts like this...so sad that this is what people really think and experience - and these are just the recent ones.

January 17, 2008 10:43 PM EST

I was in Jamaica last year on a cruise. This is a very sad country. We traveled from Montego Bay to Negril and saw how the locals live. We also talked with our tour guide and she told us there are not enough jobs for the people that live there. We spent the day at Margaritaville and had a guard watching us the whole time. I am glad I was there but I would never want to return.

January 24, 2008 07:54 PM EST

We had a group of seven people who went to Jamaica last year. We stayed at the Holiday Inn Sunspree in Montego Bay and did day trips out to other areas. I would not recommend leaving the hotel security unless you had a guide. It would be unsafe. We left the gated hotel area and ventured across the street to shop. I would never do that again. We were mobbed and harrassed by the locals. If you buy from one, you have to buy from the others. We went there to be a blessing to the children in the orphanges and take them things. I was so glad to get back to our country.

January 17, 2008 09:09 PM EST

NEVER AGAIN!!!!

Do not go to Jamaica. Nothing but criminals, drugs and god only knows what. They don't care who you are, how old you are, DRUGS will be offered to you. If you don't get out of that country without getting something stolen, then you are lucky. The only people that like Jamaica, are the folks who are from there or live there. We took a cruise that stopped there, we will NEVER take another cruise that has that as one of its stops, or we just won't get off the ship when it's in port. Very dangerous place, I would never take children there. I do not reccommend that country to ANYONE!

January 17, 2008 08:43 PM EST

Nearly lost both my kids. Thugs, drugs, never again

Some clown at the resort invited my two 15 yr olds to go to a party with him. He gave them huge joints. They thought they were soooo coool. Had they gone, we might not have seen them again. Busboy stole our camera. Lousy place. Burn it down

I work in the travel industry and have been to the Caribbean many times. I am often embarassed to be from the US... People travel and they think everyone lives in the same "happy place" they come from. It amazes me how many people have so little understanding of the world around them!!!

I have been to JA a few times and on a work trip and had the privelage of staying at 1/2 Moon in MoBay... There was this older AMerican with a fanny pack asking if it was ok to go off property!!??? I wonder why people even bother to go on vacation if all they really want to do is eat and hang out with other Americans. People pay all this money to go to a wonderful place and they are scared the whole time.

My favorite thing about working in travel is that I get to experience other cultures and experience things that many people don't have the oppurtunity to do. I feel very blessed.

I only wish that everyone could open their eyes, hearts and minds and embrace people and places that they maybe aren't familiar with. I have often been told that I am different from "all the other white people"!! I am not sure if that makes me happy or sad.....

All this baby talk - I am jealous!! Well not jealous of the babies really - just the baby making!!

I want my Louis!!

Congrats to the expecting!!!

Oh I cry about everything too! Louis teases me cause I cry when I watch Oprah and cry when I read books... LOL

Now my 5 year old says "mom are you gonna cry again??" and then she turns around and cries at the silly TV too!! Like mom like daughter!

About the other things - what comes around goes around and I totally beleive in Karma... whenever I think bad things, I always stub my toe or bump into stuff and I swear its karma! We should all treat people as we would want to be treated - thats my motto!!!

:-)

irie irie irie Cat!!

Hello all.... havent posted in a few but I have been reading up on everything. :-)

1st of all Classy I think you must be a pretty smart lady for recognizing the loser in this guy before you went too far. My best friend came to visit me while I was living in St Lucia and fell for a guy - unfortunetly I don't think he is up to par and he is showing all the signs of a bad egg but she ingores them. I can only hope she comes to her senses.....

2nd ......... I got my NOA1 today and I am so #%@&^*% HAPPY! I know it is just the beginning but at least it has officially begun! Woohoo!

Now I have a very good reason to go out with the girls this weekend and celebrate! That and its pay day!! :-)

Have a great day all!!!

Cat

Not sure if this is too personal or not but what kinds of jobs did your men get when they came to the US? I know Louis would do anything! Maybe not fastfood though cause he wont be around meat! LOL. He is a prgrammer at the TV station in St Lucia so he does have some talents. I really want to find out what he is passionate about. I think working just to live has never given him the time to see if there is something he really loves and is good at. He said he wants to take computer classes when he gets here because he feels in the US everyone needs to know these things.

He will be in total shock with his 1st real paycheck! He gets paid once a month now and its equal to less than $400. He gives alot to his mom as it is now. I am sure we will be sending her money ... but no kitchen sinks! ;-)

How long until they can get a job?

cat

My hubby was able to find a job right away. He works for a huge hotel here in the city. I bout died once when his paycheck was bigger than mine....I thought YESSS, YESSSS. He also works as an auto service tech a Walmart. It's a blessing Cause I'm tired of screamin independent I want ti start dependin you yoooou lol It's well overdue fi me.

Oh! I cannot wait for the 2nd income. I am going to feel like I have died and gone to heaven .. even if its minimum wage! Louis told me his dream is to come here and help me raise my daughter, that he loves like she is his own.... awww so sweet!! That's one reason why I love him!

Aww thanks! He does have a nice smile! I find myself staring at his pictures all the time. And he is a big goofball! He makes me laugh so hard! He is so not embarassed to act like a big ole dork! LOL

I am lucky enough to have a cousin that owns his own tree/lanscaping business and will let him do clean up work. My Aunt also has a boarding farm for horses and said he can shovel all the horse poop he wants! LOL She came to SLU and met Louis and likes him so much she will do just about anything for us.

Who knows maybe he will end up loving something he has never thought of doing before.

He does have dreadlocks, very nice and neat ones I might add, and is worried about them hindering him. Fortunelty there is a big arts community here and crazy hair, tattoos and peircings are the norm. I won't let him cut the dreds!!

I will continue to think positive.

He has a nice smile.

I only like watching the auditions as well. Except I get sooooo embarassed for the people on TV. Its like a like it - but can't stand it! LOL I used to just flick the channel real quick and now my remote is broken so I have to close my eyes and plug my ears! Yeah I am strange!! My best friend used to tease me about when we lived together cause its not just AI that makes me do it... I can only watch so much reality TV before having a nervous breakdown!! LOL

The funny part now is I have a 5 year old who freaks out too. She knows when they are awful and she will jump around and say "oh my gosh, oh my gosh" and plug her ears. If it is real bad she hides her face in the chair!!

Who is WIlliam Hung

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwMjpt62Ja4

I am lucky enough to have a cousin that owns his own tree/lanscaping business and will let him do clean up work. My Aunt also has a boarding farm for horses and said he can shovel all the horse poop he wants! LOL She came to SLU and met Louis and likes him so much she will do just about anything for us.

Who knows maybe he will end up loving something he has never thought of doing before.

He does have dreadlocks, very nice and neat ones I might add, and is worried about them hindering him. Fortunelty there is a big arts community here and crazy hair, tattoos and peircings are the norm. I won't let him cut the dreds!!

I will continue to think positive.